To want to be exempt from present buying at 7 mos pregnant?

[BigCatFace]

I'm from a big arse Catholic family and have spent £200 in order to spend our last Christmas baby free with them. That's 13 hours travel each way as we're getting the boat to Dublin then up to Belfast. We're doing this as flights became too expensive and I'm pretty uncomfortable already.

My son is due in February and I am trying to save as much as I can til then. AIBU to not buy my 6 immediate family Christmas presents this year? I feel like I am...

"I can only afford £20 each if that but it feels stingy."

It's not about throwing money at it.

I'm afraid I laughed at the concept that you are skint but can afford £20 per present for multiple adult relatives. I don't think I've ever spent £20 on a present for anyone outside my parents, husband and kids. Spend £5 on each of them - that's £90 saved just like that.

I can't afford it really but it's what I would think was a small spend. My family always spend too much on gifts because we're so broke the whole year we don't buy birthday things etc.

Ditto Skylark! £20 is a big present to me!

£20 is roughly what I spend on my siblings when I'm not skint. I sometimes go over that, but only very rarely. If the gift costs more, I usually contact another sibling and ask if they want to go halves.

Definitely halve your budget (at least) first of all. Do you really think your mum/siblings will be sitting there with their open presents on Christmas morning thinking "well there's no way this cost her 20 quid - how very stingy" ? - probably not!

Sounds like you're putting yourself under way too much pressure - with Christmas gifts and the baby stuff! Neither have to cost a fortune.

20 is my being generous large present amount!